Bold & beautiful This home is bursting with colour and pattern

EYE-CATCHING COLOUR AND PATTERN MAKE AN UNFORGETTABLE IMPRESSION IN THIS EXPERTLY CURATED PERIOD HOME

Story KYLIE JACKES Styling GREG NATALE & CONNIE CONDYLIOS Photography ANSON SMART

THE LOOK OF LUXE Homeowner Jo called on acclaimed interior designer Greg Natale to revamp the Geelong home she shares with her husband, Tim, and adult children Harrison and Charlotte. The living area (below) is a rhapsody in blue, with Dulux Duck Egg Blue walls and a pair of ‘Giardino Cameron’ chairs from James Said. “In every room the light fittings are a real feature,” says Jo, pointing to the Oly ‘Walt’ chandelier from Coco Republic, which ties in with a saffron-coloured artwork by Jo Davenport. The glamour of gold and brass flows into the formal dining room courtesy of an Arteriors ‘Karrington’ chandelier from Boyd Blue (opposite), Euroluce ‘Atollo’ lamps by Vico Magistretti and Coco Republic ‘Beverly’ dining chairs by Oly.

The first word people say as they step through the front door of Jo’s Geelong home is usually ‘wow’. “The interior is so unexpected, you see people’s eyes light up with surprise,” she reflects. Indeed, from the street, the home’s pretty 1880s Victorian facade provides no clue as to the striking contrast and drama that lie beyond. Yet, when Jo and her husband, Tim, bought the property, an hour west of Melbourne, their plan was always to transform it into something truly special.

Having renovated several period homes, the pair understood the sizable task ahead to gut the place and start afresh. This time, though, Jo was raring to push the boundaries of her trusty neutral palette. A long-time admirer of interior designer Greg Natale’s flair for colour and pattern, Jo used his book The Tailored Interior as her go-to for inspiration. But, rather than try to recreate the look, she went straight to the source, enlisting the designer himself to realise the glamorous feel she coveted. “I think Greg has a signature style and I wanted to tap into his incredible eye for detail and use of elegant finishes,” explains Jo. “The key things I definitely wanted to include were his black-and-white geometric carpet, duck-egg blue walls and our Fornasetti plate collection. Other than that, we were happy to give Greg complete creative freedom to curate the entire look – the furniture, light fittings, artwork, everything.”

A 12-month redesign saw the interior – which was last renovated in the ’80s – stripped and the layout reconfigured. Curves innate to the original architecture were echoed in kitchen joinery, archways, windows and mirrors, and each space was adorned with layers of loveliness: prints with panache and feel-good hues. “The depth of colour and pattern gives the house a wonderful energy,” says Jo. “And, because the elements are beautifully balanced, it’s also incredibly tranquil.” Although Jo and Tim imagined this would be their forever home, work commitments prompted a recent move to Sydney, yet the home’s unique style remains intact. “We felt the home and all the interior elements should stay together and the new owner did too,” she says. And its decorating legacy? “Hopefully it will inspire others to step out of their comfort zone and be bold,” she says.

happy place. “THE KITCHEN IS MY I LOVE TO COOK HERE AND ENTERTAINING JUST SEEMS EFFORTLESS” JO

KITCHEN “Greg not only made the house so beautiful, but also incredibly functional,” says Jo, pictured opposite with husband Tim, daughter Charlotte and Ralphie the cavoodle pup, at the island breakfast bar. The space was completely reconfigured for the better: the family’s treasured Fornasetti plate gallery wall can now be enjoyed from multiple vantage points and an informal dining zone overlooks the pool through existing cathedral-style windows. Their sculptural curves offered stylish inspiration for the kitchen design and are reflected in the round door pulls sourced from Designer Door, an Arteriors ‘Wahlburg’ chandelier, and the ‘Caracas’ table and ‘Vera’ dining chairs – both by Jonathan Adler. The graphic ‘Verona’ floor tiles also help forge a visual link between the zones and add a sense of fun in the kitchen, where tough Super White Vermont granite lends a luxurious quality to the benches. “I love the colour and it’s incredibly hardy,” explains Greg.

“THIS IS THE FIRST ROOM the house YOU SEE WHEN YOU WALK INTO AND IT DELIVERS A REAL WOW-FACTOR” ~ JO

ENTRYWAY Setting the tone for the finishes throughout the home, every detail in the hall plays a role (above), from the shapely Greg Natale Arches console to the untitled Tanya Linney artwork and the Greg Natale ‘Tom’ carpet. FORMAL DINING ROOM “In this house I put all the pattern on the floor, which is more subtle than on the walls,” explains interior designer Greg. The statement carpet serves as a dazzling base for a white lacquered Greg Natale Hudson dining table and gilt ‘Diamond’ credenza (opposite), which hosts assorted pieces by Jonathan Adler. >

CHARLOTTE’S BEDROOM A chic print by artist Megan Hess provided the inspiration for Charlotte’s glamorous retreat. “They were the one thing she wanted,” says Jo of the pretty fashion illustrations, including a framed ‘Dior’ piece. Charlotte personalised her updated space with a fluffy Adairs throw and custom cushions, which soften a ‘Blaxland’ brass bed from The Bedroom. Playing on a vintage aesthetic, an Arteriors ‘Sabine’ chandelier from Boyd Blue adds a sense of grandeur – as does a ‘Stella’ bench from James Said.

ENSUITE

Black and white proves anything but plain in the dramatic ensuite (top left). “We wanted it to resemble the bathrooms from The Ludlow Hotel in New York, so Greg replicated the white square tiles on the walls, paired with black pinstriping that really enhances the strong geometric feel,” explains Jo. Continuity was also achieved with Greg Natale ‘Rossi’ marble mosaics on the floor (available from Teranova), which reference the pattern in the adjoining carpet. To boost storage, the mirrored medicine cabinets from Restoration Hardware were cleverly inset – their brass detailing is picked up in

Astra Walker tapware and a polished trim around the custom granite-topped vanity.

BEDROOM DETAIL

Once a sitting area, Charlotte’s lovely bedroom design (top right) is centred around a centuries-old fireplace, which was revamped with Dulux Black paint and fresh tiles. An eye-catching framed Megan Hess ‘Hollywood Pink’ print stars above the mantel.

WALK-IN ROBE

The original living room was carved up into four new spaces and converted into an ensuite, powder room, butler’s pantry and impressive monochrome walk-in wardrobe (right), fitted out with custom joinery in black oak veneer. “I love having floor-to-ceiling shoe storage,” says Jo. “Greg even had black leather boxes made for the open shelves so it’s streamlined and clutter-free.”

“BOLD energy PATTERN and PROVIDES fun A SENSE OF AND MAKES A HOME INTERESTING” ~ JO

HARRISON’S BEDROOM

Rather than metallics – which play a glittering support role in the home – black finishes were chosen to create a masculine feel in Harrison’s room (top left). The centrepiece is a ‘Nero’ chandelier from Restoration Hardware that’s suspended above a Domayne ‘Sunday’ bed and framed by ‘Yasmin’ lamps from Boyd Blue.

MAIN BEDROOM

“It’s such a beautiful room to wake up in,” says Jo of her light-filled room (opposite), where cool blue walls provide the backdrop to artworks by Claire Bridge. On the Greg Natale Hudson bed, layers of comfort were added with custom bedding and cushions by Analu, while Hudson bedside tables are topped with Fornasetti lamps. With such a spacious floor plan, the master bedroom also boasts a sitting area (opposite

& top right), decked out with a Greg Natale desk and Lancaster chair, both from James Said. But Jo’s most cherished possession is positioned in the opposite corner (left): in addition to the family’s Fornasetti plate collection in the kitchen, the only treasure they brought to the house was a 1700s French silk screen found in an antique store in South Australia. “We kept it as a reminder of our time living in Mt Gambier where we made life-long friends,” says Jo.

Here, it’s complemented by a Jonathan Adler ‘Kismet’ table and a Greg Natale chair.

“THE BLUE freshness WALLS GIVE THE HOME A AND A MORE CONTEMPORARY FEEL” ~ GREG NATALE, INTERIOR DESIGNER

EXTERIOR Having admired the home from the street long before they bought it, green thumbs Jo and Tim got stuck into taming the overgrown cottage gardens, which had shrouded the exterior. The couple opted for a formal design featuring white iceberg roses and neat topiary ficus that complements the home’s ornate period facade, freshened up with Dulux Lexicon Quarter.